Zitter steps down at HBO

Berkes replaces vet as chief technology officer

TV vet Bob Zitter is retiring from his position as chief technology officer at HBO, replaced by Otto Berkes.

Zitter, who served at HBO for 30 years, will segue to handling strategic projects for the pay cabler on March 31 and then fully step away from the company at the end of the year.

“There are very few names that come to mind who have had as significant an impact on our industry as Bob Zitter,” said HBO president and chief operating officer Eric Kessler. “His accomplishments and innovation have helped transform not just the business at HBO but the entire landscape.”

Zitter had helped launch HBO’s high-definition and on-demand services, and he is one of the founders of HBO’s businesses in Latin America, Asia and Europe. He also played a significant role in the creation of streaming service HBO Go.

Berkes joined HBO last year as senior VP of digital products. Previous to arriving at the net, he spent 18 years at Microsoft and was one of the four founders of the Xbox.